I Am The Night
I Am The Night ''is the third issue of ''Batman'89 Plot On the anniversary of the death of his parents, Batman sits in the Batcave, tired. Alfred points out that he hasn't eaten or slept for a while, but Batman says the problem isn't his body, but his spirit. Batman remembers how he let his parents' murderer the Joker fall to his death and how he tricked the Penguin into killing himself. Batman began to wonder if he is really doing any good since he killed his enemies and should've been better than them. Alfred assures Batman that he is a good person, but Batman claims that in spite of what he's done, the war against crime continues. Alfred gives Batman a package and sadly watches as he leaves. Meanwhile, a young boy asks a couple people for some bus fare which he receives. Taking the money, he happily walks away claiming, "It works every time". As he walks along he sees a child wearing a Batman costume and scoffs at it. To this boy, Batman is a joke. Out in Crime Alley, Leslie Thompkins accompanies Batman to place roses on the spot where his parents were gunned down. Batman tells her that he keeps wondering if it should be the last time. Leslie tries to assure him he's doing the right thing but Batman still argues against it. Meanwhile, the boy, Wizard, is assaulted by a couple of thugs that demand payment for allowing him to work the corner. Wizard claims that he doesn't have the money so the thugs prepare to kill him. Batman stops them with ease but Wizard is ungrateful and one of the thugs falls on the roses left in memory of Bruce's parents. Angered, Batman takes Wizard and hands him over to Leslie to take him into the Mitchell Street Mission. Unfortunately, the fight makes Batman late for a police raid that Harvey Dent planned which turned out to be a setup and in the battle that takes place, Commissioner Gordon is severely wounded by mob-boss Jimmy "The Jazzman" Peake. Although Batman apprehends him, the damage has been done: Gordon's life hangs by a thread. Gordon is taken to the hospital and Batman visits him feeling guilty over his failure to make it to the crime scene first. Barbara Gordon doesn't blame Batman for her father's condition, but Harvey Bullock (a man who resembles Pat Corley)does. Sadly, Batman decides that Bullock's words are the ones he should listen to. Returning to the Batcave, Batman destroys his forensics equipment and screams in despair. While Batman is wallowing in his self-pity, Jazzman is sent to Stonegate Penitentiary until his case can go to trial. Jazzman is not at all happy about this and knows that there's more than enough evidence against him. A flunky of his tells him that there's a way out of prison and Gotham, but first, Jazzman wants revenge on Gordon, the man who caught him once before. Bruce's guilt begins to increase more when Alfred reveals to Bruce his discovery that Gordon was the police officer who comforted him on the night that his parents died. As far as Batman's concerned, if he dies, there is no regret, but if someone else dies as a result of his actions, it's unforgivable. What's worse is that he's become little more than a marketing item for the tourist trade. Caught up in his despair, Batman decides that it may be time to quit. Things take a turn for the worse when the Jazzman escapes from Stonegate through the sewers and heads for the hospital to finish Gordon. Learning that Jazzman has escaped, Alfred goes to see Barbara and her father. Barbara is worried but Alfred insists that only Batman can save Gordon. However, when he tells Bruce about it, Bruce refuses to even respond. Alfred, fed up of his pleas falling on deaf ears, decides to go talk to Bullock since he was the homicide detective investigating the death of Bruce's parents. Batman, however, comes to his senses at the last minute after realizing just how much danger his friend is already in, and stops Alfred, determined to go after the Jazzman himself. But Alfred still calls Bullock to state his concerns for Gordon. The Jazzman arrives at the hospital with a gun, and knocks a window cleaner out to steal his platform. He raises it until he is level with the window of Gordon's room, and prepares to finish the sleeping commissioner off with another gunshot. Fortunately, Batman arrives just in time and a violent fight ensues. Batman throws the Jazzman through the window and into the hospital room, where he pushes Barbara and the security guard aside and raises his gun once more. Barbara shields her father with her own body, but Batman throws a batarang directly into the gun just as the Jazzman fires, causing the bullet to backfire and destroy the gun, injuring the Jazzman's hand. Bullock bursts in with Alfred, and the Jazzman is re-captured just as Gordon wakes up, much to Batman, Alfred, Barbara and Bullock's relief. Gordon tells Batman that they have to keep fighting and cannot give up. He tells Batman that he wanted to be like him, a hero. Batman tells him that he is a hero and leaves with a renewed spirit. On his way home, Batman bumps into Wizard again, only to learn that this time he has reformed and is now heading back home, mostly because of what Batman did for him, and he thanks the Dark Knight warmly. Realizing how much good he has truly done, and can still do, Batman overlooks the city he has vowed to protect with a newfound sense of purpose.